The debate on constitutional reform should not be hijacked by political parties and their agendas and should be an open minded discussion, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said today.

Speaking during a meeting with the committee for awareness on the Maltese Constitution, Dr Muscat said that, while political parties should contribute to the debate, they should not make preconditions.

He told Chairman Franco Debono that he agreed with the approach taken by the committee to first raise awareness about the constitution and then head for a discussion. This would serve as a sounding board for the convention which would lead to the rewriting of the constitution.

People involved in the renewal of the constitution should not be afraid to be controversial, he said. The constitution was dictated by compromises and the circumstances of the times, he said, and parts of it could need to be changed, improved or strengthened. People from all backgrounds, whether law experts or not, should take part in the process, he said.

Dr Debono said the need to raise awareness about the constitution had long been felt. The committee, he said, was currently working on a new website for children and was also taking part in other initiatives that were related to constitutional reform. He said the modernisation of Parliament, the justice sector reform and the language issue were all elements of reform of a constitutional nature. The committee has also asked for meetings with the Opposition Leader and the leadership of Alternattiva Demokratika. The committee also includes Prof. Olivier Friggieri, Prof. Ray Mangion, Prof. Saviour Chircop, Dr Austin Bencini, Dr Claire Bonello, Dr Andrew Azzopardi and Dr Veronique Dalli.